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In this podcast episode, we talked with Will Russell about From Hackathons to Developer Advocacy.

About the Speaker: Will Russell is a Developer Advocate at Kestra, known for his videos on workflow orchestration. Previously, Will built open source education programs to help up and coming developers make their first contributions in open source. With a passion for developer education, Will creates technical video content and documentation that makes technologies more approachable for developers. In this episode, we sit down with Will—developer advocate, content creator, and passionate community builder. We’ll hear about his unique path through tech, the lessons he’s learned, and his approach to making complex topics accessible and engaging. Whether you’re curious about open source, hackathons, or what it’s like to bridge the gap between developers and the broader tech community, this conversation is full of insights and inspiration.

🕒 TIMECODES 0:00 Introduction, career journeys, and video setup and workflow 10:41 From hackathons to open source: Early experiences and learning 16:04 Becoming a hackathon organizer and the value of soft skills 23:18 How to organize a hackathon, memorable projects, and creativity 33:39 Major League Hacking: Building community and scaling student programs 41:16 Mentorship, development environments, and onboarding in open source 49:14 Developer advocacy, content strategy, and video tips 57:16 Will’s current projects and future plans for content creation

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Data science isn't just about models and code—it's about people, connections, and shared knowledge. From online forums to in-person hackathons, communities play a crucial role in shaping careers and innovations. In this episode, we're joined by Yujian Tang — an expert in building and fostering data-driven communities — to discuss how these spaces can help you grow and why developer advocacy is a great role for people passionate about both building and fostering community. Whether you're looking to expand your network, break into data science, or grow your own community, this episode is packed with actionable insights from someone who has done it all. What You'll Learn: How getting involved in different communities can accelerate your career and open up unexpected opportunities The key differences between various data communities and how to find the right fit What it takes to build and nurture a thriving community of your own The evolving role of the Developer Advocate in growing data product visibility through community.   Register for free to be part of the next live session: https://bit.ly/3XB3A8b   Interested in learning more about GenAI? 👉 https://lu.ma/oss4ai   Follow us on Socials: LinkedIn YouTube Instagram (Mavens of Data) Instagram (Maven Analytics) TikTok Facebook Medium X/Twitter

Outline: How hackathons and ridiculous projects launched a career in open source; Behind the scenes of scaling the MLH Fellowship during the pandemic; Lessons from mentoring thousands of students into open source contributors; Why storytelling and video are secret weapons for great developer advocacy